There’s no mistaking the raw soulfulness and Motown/R&B-inspired fires fueling Leopold and His Fiction‘s latest release, Darling Destroyer. Frontman Daniel Leopold has roots in Detroit, but there are also equal parts rock and punk igniting the explosive intensity of his work. The scorching guitar, the fuzzed-up bass, some mighty horn arrangements and those vocals that can leap from croon to wail in .02 seconds all add up to a tremendous, relentless energy.
But the mood isn’t merely bluster and swagger. The songs on the album were written by Daniel as he awaited the birth of his now five-year-old daughter, Ava. “Looking back, these songs came from a place of fear and vulnerability,” Daniel recalls. “It was my first time ever dealing face-to-face with the severity of that type of emotion and translating it into words. Harnessing its power in the studio pushed me in a way I’ve never been pushed before.”
The Austin Music Minute often raves about bands that must be experienced live. Leopold and His Fiction is at the top of the list. Don’t miss their album release/tour kick-off show tonight at Stubb’s indoor venue, 801 Red River. The bill is made even more badass with Emily Wolfe starting out the night, who will undoubtedly be shredding like a beast. Doors open at 8 p.m.
This one’s so recommended it hurts.
-Photography by Stevan Alcala.
